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The Green Party and the 2004 Elections: A Three-Dimensional Plan

By John Rensenbrink
Tom Sevigny

This message is an attempt to bring together in a single vision various ideas, points of view, and practical recommendations that have been made by many different people in the rapidly intensifying debate over what the Green Party of the United States should do in the 2004 national elections.

We think everyone would agree that it would be foolish to enter the national races, especially the one for president and vice president, without strategically weighing all the options. We cannot afford to have a knee-jerk reaction and blindly enter any race, certainly not the one for president in this fateful time.

After making two observations about the evolving situation facing the Green Party, we present a “Three Dimensional Plan”. It will enable the Green Party to avoid grave dangers, build their party, and move forward with confidence, strength, and unity.

We take pains to point out that we propose this not in our capacity as holders of official positions within the national Green Party (Tom as a Co-Chair of the Steering Committee and John as member of the Presidential Exploratory Committee). We propose this plan simply as concerned members of the Green Party.

Setting the Context: Some Observations Regarding the Situation

Two things especially rivet one’s attention as we look towards the 2004 elections.

First, the prospect of a Green Party run for the presidency is producing a gathering storm of debate within and without the party, peppered with near-panic declarations, threatening to engulf the party in fractious internal contestation. One long-time and savvy leader of the Greens describes the situation as “a dark and scary tunnel.”

But outside the party this debate is also rising to a flood of concern, advice, and anguished pronouncements – not only from Democrats or from those erstwhile Republicans who detest Bush, but especially from the peace and environmental movements. Great fear is expressed that the Green candidate for president will prevent the defeat of George Bush and his despised cronies. One commentator on-line entitles his article “Bush Presents Colossal Dilemma for Greens in 2004.” (Earl O. Hutchinson).

One can’t help smiling a little – it’s as if “the movements” have finally discovered the Green Party! However, we believe they make a solid point – and that in any case they reflect the feelings and considered opinions of millions of voters. The Green Party cannot and must not just shrug our shoulders and pretend this outpouring does not exist or is simply misguided. We could self-destruct if we did that.

Second, a widespread belief has taken hold among many sections of the electorate that the Green Party’s campaign for the presidency in 2000 either caused, or in any case paved the way for, Bush’s becoming President. Quite aside from the virulence of the attack on the Green Party and our candidate Ralph Nader (and from some quarters it was and is very very nasty), there exists a strong residue of opinion among millions of voters that Ralph and the Greens spoiled Gore’s bid for the presidency.

Whether or not they are right about this (we don’t believe they are); and quite aside from whether or not they are right that Gore would not have been as bad as Bush, their opinion has settled into a solid view.

The Green Party can dismiss this -- and we have read countless emails, preaching to the choir, detailing that this view is mistaken and wrong. But that will not make it go away. The point is, it will NOT go away. We must face this. We must find a positive and creative way forward.

In fact, let’s find a way to use these negatives to our advantage.
With this in mind, we urge the following “Three Dimensional Plan” for 2004.

A Three-Dimensional Plan for 2004

The plan has three fully integrated components.Together they offer a winning strategy for 2004.

The three components are:
First, the Green Party runs 4-6 candidates for Congress (House of Representatives) in 2004 in carefully selected Districts, fully focusing the energies and resources of the party to get them elected.

Second, the Green Party runs home grown Greens for President and Vice President in a vigorous campaign that includes, at the beginning, the stated intention to be ready to a) give their support to the Democratic ticket late in the campaign if the race between the R and D candidates is very close; or b) if the race between the D and the R candidates is very close, to concentrate only in states where the outcome between the D and the R candidates is not in doubt.
Third, the Green Party invites nationally known figures, especially Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney to throw the weight of their presence and resources in support of the Congressional candidates and the homegrown Green candidates for President and Vice President. This third component could include a campaign for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut by Ralph Nader

What this Plan Accomplishes
1. It transcends the spoiler argument and “spoiler effect” altogether and removes it from the campaign.
2. It opens the door for the Green message to be heard on its merits.
3. It grooms national candidates for 2006 and 2008 – both the home grown candidates for president and vice president and the Congressional candidates. It gives them experience and national exposure.
4. It enables the Green Party to “run against Congress” – doing what Harry Truman did so effectively in 1948 when he ran, and won, on the slogan of the “do nothing Congress!” This has enormous potential for us –it could even result in having a Green in Congress as we begin the year 2005. Maybe more than one! We can all join in on this -- Ralph and Cynthia, our presidential and vice presidential candidates, all the tendencies and wings within the party -- as well as many celebrities who would be able to support us enthusiastically, whereas now they are hesitant, given the rising pressure to defeat Bush at all costs. We could go a long way with this; and find it very exciting and satisfying to boot. Congress has been an enormous failure in the past two years and deserves to be run against. We think most voters agree and would give our campaign a big hearing.
5. By running against Congress, we can make our case against the Democrats even stronger. We can use their blank check for war, their support of the Patriot Act, etc. etc., in a much more effective way than we could by putting our big efforts into running a high profile presidential candidate as we did last time. The Democrats in Congress could have stopped Bush; they decided to go along with him. We are free to make that point, again and again, effectively.
6. It unifies the Party, transcending what could otherwise become a very bitter debate and harmful in-fighting within our party.
7. The plan enables us to change from what would otherwise be a defensive posture in the campaign, always having to expend energy and time reliving and explaining the past, to a positive and forward looking posture.
8. It helps our Party grow, whereas the present prospect is of a party saddled with baggage from the past, divided within itself, uncertain about its future, and on the outs with millions of voters who could otherwise be on our side. With this plan, we surmount the negatives, surprise our critics, and take a new leap forward.

Respectfully submitted,

John Rensenbrink
Tom Sevigny
May 1, 2003